Mucin solvent agent



Patented Aug. 7, 1934 UNITED STATES 1.969.840 MUCIN soLvnN'r afiunr Clarence 0. Volt, Lancaster, Pa.- No Drawing. Application January 27,

Serial No.

0mm. (01. lei-cs1 I larly striking example of the diillculties which may result from this physiological condition is the depositing of mucin plaques on the surfaces of the teeth. The saliva is sufliciently alkaline to carry mucin into solution in the salivary glands, but once the mucin is deposited on the teeth, the saliva is incapable of redissolving the film. The

may be deposited on the inter-proximal surfaces of the teeth, serve both as a fountartar deposits, and to protect those micro-organisms which secrete this lactic acid which is responsible for breaking down the tooth enamel. Due to the difficulty of mechanically removing films deposited in these and other protected surfaces, such plaques remain untouched so in the inaccessible places and either act as nuclei for tartar deposits or harbor the germs causing decay of the teeth. It is highly desirable to remove these deposits, but it is diilicult to do it mechanically and the saliva will not normally do as it chemically since it lacks suiilcient alkalinity to redissolve a mucin film once it has been deposited.

There are other surfaces of the body which are subject to mucinous secretions which should 40 be cleansed and for various reasons it is not desirable to effect the removal of accumulations or secretions containing mucin by means other than solutions. By the very nature of the inaccessibility of various passages, it islmpracticable if not impossible to do it otherwise. For example,

the mucinous catarrhal discharge of nasal membranes should be washed from the nasal tissues and the washing solution cannot be wholly effective unless the mucinous deposits are redissolved,

thus allowing access of the solution to the surfaces of the membranes.

I have found that certain types of organic compounds which produce in water linity equal to or greater than a pH value of 9 5 may be used to redissolve mucinous deposits on the teeth and mucinous parts of the body such or urethral membranes.

degree of alkalinity of pH soluble mucinates and thereby deposits and secretions soluble in ticular structure of the organic parently not controlling, but it is in the first place essential that the compoun cient degree of substances.

duce a strongly .tion and do not rea alkalinity VPAITIE'NT. OFFICE secretions from other 1 for example, as the vaginal I have found that a 9 or moreis sufficient insoluble in water into render mucinous water. The parcompound is and shall produce a sumto dissolve mucinous I am aware tlfat certain 0 which are solvents dissolve mucin, but

rganic compounds, for fats, have been used to these compounds do not proalkaline reaction in water soluct with the acid mucin nor in water solution. I It is my d for mucinates.

nts which I prefer are all capable of reducing the surface tension of the solution materially below the surface In fact all of agents.-

fore, the partic does not seem amines in which stituted either p radicals such as tension of water.

them are excellent emulsifying stituted ammonium or amch as the ethanol amines or um hydroxide. As stated beular structure of the compound to control its methanol, ethan the hydrogen of artially or completely by organic efliciency. The ammonia is subol, propanol, etc., no

are effective. The ethanol amines are compounds in which one, two or three of the hydrogen atoms of ammonia have been substituted by the ethanol group, CHzCHzOH, and are called mono, di or tri ethanol amine according to the number of sub stituted groups. The commercial grade of triethanolamine which serves admirably as a mucin solvent when dissolved in water contains 75-80% tri-ethanolamine, 20-25% di-ethanolamine and 0-5% mono-ethanolamine. This is my preferred mucin solvent agent but any one of these compounds alone or combinations of any two or all three in any proportions will do equally well. The essential factor is that the combination will produce an alkalinity of approximately pH 9 or above in water solution. water soluble amines containing other primary alcohol groups such as methanol, propanol and the like can also be used as mucin solvent agents. It is desirable, however, that the solution produced should be non-poisonous, particularly, of course, in the case of dentifrice's, and non-irritating if used in contact with any membranes. The substituted ammonia compounds mentioned have the added advantage that they have an odor which is not difilcult to mask. They do not have an unpleasant flavor or odor in themselves, and the addition of a small amount of essential oils such as peppermint or wintergreen or of substituted phenols such as menthol, thymol or eucalyptol easily masks the odor and flavor and imparts certain desirable germicidal qualities as well as preserving the solution in a sterile condition. Specific germicides which destroy the acid producing bacteria in the mouth may also be added without indury to the mucin solvent properties.

As a specific example of my invention, the commercial tri-ethanolamine is dispensed as a dilute solution in water. However, the solution may range from 1% to 50% without aflecting its value as a solvent for mucinous material. I prefer about a 3% solution. This solution has substantially the same osmotic pressure as the blood stream and is consequentlynon-irritating to any sensitive tissues. The solution may, of course, be sold in concentrated form to be diluted as used. if desired, and the practical applications are such as would readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art of making pharmaceutical preparations.

The mucin solvent organic compounds may also be combined with the usual ingredients found in a tooth paste without in any way interfering with their effectiveness. These compounds. are compatible with massing agents such as the soaps and glycerine, the glycols and with flavoring and antiseptic materials. A typical formula is soap 50 gr., glycerine 40 gr., water 20 gr., precipitated chalk '15 gr., ethanolamines 10 gr., flavoring and antiseptics q. s. A suitable soap which may also be used as a substitute for the soap above mentioned is tri-ethanolamine 'stearate which is well adapted for use in a dentifrice. It can be used in the above formula in the same proportions as other soaps. This soap is made by neutralising tri-ethanolamine with stearic acid and can be made readily or can be obtained on the open market. It is obvious that the mucin solvent action may also be obtained by using an ethanolamine soap in which the ethanolamine has not been completely neutralised by the fatty acid. In this case the unneutralized ethanolamine acts as solvent in a manner entirely similar to that of ethanolamine added to an ordinary soap or an ethanolamine soap. Since no salting out elect is had by use of my mucin dissolving agent the problem of making a soap dentifrice is simplified and the organic compounds can be incorporated in a soap paste without difiiculty.

My invention operates in accordance with the chemical law that a more active agent is necessary to redissolve a precipitate than is required to hold the precipitated substances in solution prior to precipitation. It goes further, however, in se-:

curing a better distribution effect than has been possible heretofore with mucin dissolving agents by materially reducing the surface tension of the solvent. Moreover, the solvent is fluid and nonviscous in its preferred form so that surfaces inaccessible or difflc'ultly accessible to brushing or polishing are cleaned.

The inventionis not limited to a dentifrice, although it has been specifically described in connection with dental purposes for removing mucin plaques from the teeth. It will be understood that the invention may be employed for general physiological purposes since it is nonirritating and may be used wherever it is desired to dissolve or wash away mucin containing accumulations from surfaces of the body.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to specific chemical substances in certain preparations, it will be understood that the illustration set forth is the preferred embodiment but the invention may be otherwise embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

, I claim:

1. A mucin dissolving agent containing an ethanolamine and capable of producing a water soluble mucinate.

2. A mucin dissolving dentifrice containing an ethanolamine soap and an effective amount of free ethanolamine to yield in water solution an alkalinity of not less than a pH value of approximately 9, being capable of producing a water soluble mucinate and being substantially free from mucin precipitants.

3. A mucin dissolvin tri -ethanolamine soap and an effective amount of free tri-ethanolamine to yield in water solution an alkalinity of not less than a pH value of approximately 9, being capable of producing a water soluble mucinate and being substantially free from mucin precipitants.

4. A mucin dissolving medicinal agent for removing mucinous secretions adhering to surfaces of the body or teeth, containing an organic compound capable of reacting with water to form a substituted ammonium hydroxide and producing an alkalinity of not less than a pH value of approximately 9 in water solution, being capable of producing a water soluble mucinate and substantially free from mucin precipitants and coagulants.

5. A mucin dissolving agent for removing mucinous secretions adhering to surfaces of the body or tooth structure, containing an organic compound forming in water solution a substituted ammonium hydroxide including a primary alcohol group, capable of producing a water soluble .mucinate, and producing an alkalinity of not less than a pH value of approximately 9 in water solution.

6. A mucin dissolving agent for removing mucinous secretions adhering to surfaces of the body or tooth structure, containing an organic compound forming in water solution a substituted dentifrice containing a ter soluble mucinate and reducing the surface tension of the solution of water. 7

7. A mucin dissolving agent for removing mucinous secretions adhering to surfaces of the body or tooth structure, containing a non-poisonous organic compound yielding in water solution a substituted ammonium hydroxide including a primary alcohol'group, capable of producing a water soluble mucinate, and producing a substantially stable water solution having an alkalinity 01' not less than a pH value of approximately 9.

8. A mucin dissolving agent for removing mucinous secretions adhering to the surfaces of the body or teeth, comprising an alkaline nitrogencontaining organic compound capable of producing a water soluble mucinate and yielding an alkalinity of not less than a pH value of approximately 9 in water solution.

below the surface tension ammonia compound yielding in water solution a substituted ammonium hydroxide capable of producing a water soluble mucinate and producing an alkalinity of not less than a pH value of approximately 9 and being substantially free from mucin precipitants and coagulants.

CLARENCE C. VOGT. 

